Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey

Employment Situation of Veterans News Release

For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Friday, March 11, 2011 USDL-11-0306
Technical information: (202) 691-6378 * cpsinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/cps
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
EMPLOYMENT SITUATION OF VETERANS -- 2010
NOTE: This release was reissued on Thursday, October 20, 2011, to
correct an error in Table 3. The data for the educational attainment
categories erroneously contained data for those age 18 and over instead
of for those age 25 and over. The analyses in this release were not
affected by the corrections.
The unemployment rate for veterans who served in the military at any time since
September 2001--a group referred to as Gulf War-era II veterans--was 11.5 percent
in 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The jobless rate for
veterans of all eras combined was 8.7 percent, compared with 9.4 percent for non-
veterans. About 25 percent of Gulf War-era II veterans reported having a service-
connected disability in July 2010, compared with about 13 percent of all veterans.
This information was obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly
sample survey of about 60,000 households that provides official statistics on employ-
ment and unemployment in the United States. Data about veterans are collected monthly
in the CPS; those monthly data are the source of the 2010 annual averages presented
in this release. In July 2010, a supplement to the CPS collected additional informa-
tion about veterans on topics such as service-connected disability. Information from
the supplement also is presented in this release. The supplement was co-sponsored
by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and by the U.S. Department of Labor's
Veterans' Employment and Training Service. For more information, see the Technical
Note, which provides definitions of terms used in this release.
Highlights from the 2010 data:
-- Young male veterans (those ages 18 to 24) who served during Gulf War era II
had an unemployment rate of 21.9 percent in 2010, not statistically different
from the jobless rate of young male nonveterans (19.7 percent). (See table 2.)
-- Male Gulf War-era II veterans ages 18 to 24 were more likely to participate
in the labor force in 2010 than were their nonveteran counterparts--74.0 per-
cent versus 67.5 percent. (See table 2.)
-- Among all veterans, those with a service-connected disability had an unem-
ployment rate of 9.1 percent in July 2010, about the same as the rate for
veterans with no disability (8.7 percent). (See table 6.)
-- About one-third of employed veterans with a service-connected disability
worked in the public sector in July 2010; 1 in 5 veterans with a disability
were employed by the federal government. (See table 7.)
-- Gulf War-era II veterans who were current or past members of the Reserve or
National Guard had an unemployment rate of 14.0 percent in July 2010, com-
pared with a rate of 12.1 percent for those veterans who had not been mem-
bers. (See table 8.)
-- Regardless of their period of service, unemployment rates in 2010 for veterans
with higher levels of education were lower than for those with less education.
(See table 3.)
The Veteran Population
In 2010, 20.2 million men and 1.8 million women in the civilian noninstitutional pop-
ulation ages 18 and over were veterans. (See table 1.) In the CPS, veterans are de-
fined as men and women who have previously served on active duty in the U.S. Armed
Forces and who were civilians at the time they were surveyed.
Veterans are more likely to be men and older than were nonveterans. In part, this
reflects the characteristics of veterans who served during World War II, the Korean
War, and the Vietnam era. Veterans who served during these wartime periods account
for one-half (11.0 million) of the total veteran population. A total of 5.1 million
veterans served during Gulf War era I (August 1990 to August 2001) or Gulf War era II
(September 2001 forward). Another 5.9 million served outside the designated wartime
periods. Because age and other demographic differences affect labor force status, the
groups of veterans are examined separately in the next sections.
Gulf War-era II Veterans
In 2010, about 2.2 million of the nation's veterans had served during Gulf War era II.
About 17 percent of these veterans were women, compared with 3 percent of veterans
from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam era. Nearly two-thirds of all Gulf
War-era II veterans were under the age of 35. (See tables 1 and 2.)
In 2010, a large majority (82.2 percent) of Gulf War-era II veterans participated in
the labor force, and their unemployment rate was 11.5 percent. For those ages 18 to 24,
the unemployment rate was 20.9 percent, higher than that of Gulf War-era II veterans
ages 25 to 34 (13.1 percent). In general, Gulf War-era II veterans had unemployment
rates that were not statistically different from those of nonveterans of the same
gender and age group. (See table 2.)
Gulf War-era II veterans were twice as likely to work in the public sector as were
nonveterans--30 percent and 15 percent, respectively. About 16 percent of employed
veterans of the era worked for the federal government, compared with about 2 percent
of nonveterans. (See table 5.)
Veterans of Gulf War era II and nonveterans had similar occupational profiles after
accounting for gender. About one-third of the men in both groups worked in management
and professional occupations, a higher proportion than in any other major occupational
group. Among women, 44 percent of Gulf War-era II veterans and 41 percent of nonveter-
ans were employed in management and professional occupations. (See table 4.)
The July 2010 veterans supplement included questions to identify veterans who had ser-
ved in Iraq at any time since March 2003 or in Afghanistan at any time since October
2001. In July 2010, approximately one-third of Gulf War-era II veterans reported that
they had served in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both. (Some veterans did not report their lo-
cation of service.) These veterans had an unemployment rate of 14.3 percent, not sta-
tistically different from Gulf War-era II veterans who served elsewhere (11.4 percent).
(See table 9.)
Gulf War-era I Veterans
For the 2.9 million veterans who served during Gulf War era I (August 1990 to August
2001), the proportion that were men (85 percent in 2010) was similar to that of Gulf
War-era II veterans. About 83 percent of the era's veterans were age 35 and over, com-
pared with 35 percent of Gulf War-era II veterans. (See tables 1 and 2.)
The labor force participation rate of veterans from Gulf War era I was 86.5 percent in
2010, slightly higher than the rate of Gulf War-era II veterans (82.2 percent). The un-
employment rate for Gulf War-era I veterans (7.7 percent) was lower than the rate for
Gulf War-era II veterans (11.5 percent). These differences in labor force participation
and unemployment reflect, at least in part, the older age profile of veterans who served
in Gulf War era I. Unemployment rates of Gulf War-era I veterans were not statistically
different from those of nonveterans of the same gender and age group.
Veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam Era
In 2010, about 11.0 million veterans had served during World War II, the Korean War, or
the Vietnam era. Nearly all of these veterans were at least 55 years old, and more than
half were at least 65 years old. Virtually all (97 percent) of these veterans were men.
In 2010, just over one-third of male veterans of these earlier wartime periods were in
the labor force, and their unemployment rate was 8.4 percent. Male veterans of these
wartime periods had lower labor force participation rates compared with male nonveter-
ans in the same age categories. (See tables 1 and 2.)
Veterans of Other Service Periods
In 2010, about 5.9 million veterans had served on active duty during "other service
periods," mainly between the Korean War and the Vietnam era, and between the Vietnam
era and Gulf War era I. Because these veterans served between the major wartime periods,
which span several decades, this group has a diverse age profile. About 43 percent of
these veterans were 45 to 54 years old, and another 39 percent were 65 years and over.
(See tables 1 and 2.)
Nine in 10 veterans of other service periods were men. Among most age groups, male
veterans of service periods between the designated wartime periods had labor force
participation rates and unemployment rates that were not statistically different than
those of male nonveterans.
Veterans with a Service-connected Disability
In July 2010, about 2.8 million veterans, or 13 percent of the total, reported having a
service-connected disability. (Some veterans did not report whether they had a service-
connected disability.) Veterans with a service-connected disability are assigned a dis-
ability rating by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Ratings range from 0 to 100
percent, in increments of 10 percentage points, depending on the severity of the condi-
tion. Among veterans with a service-connected disability, about 4 in 10 reported a dis-
ability rating of less than 30 percent, while about 1 in 4 had a rating of 60 percent
or higher. (See table 6.)
Among veterans who served in Gulf War era II, about 1 in 4 (530,000) reported having a
service-connected disability. Of these, 81.0 percent were in the labor force, compared
with 86.2 percent of veterans from this period with no service-connected disability.
Among Gulf War-era II veterans, the unemployment rate of those with a disability was
11.2 percent, not statistically different from those with no disability (13.6 percent).
Nineteen percent (548,000) of veterans who served during Gulf War era I reported a
service-connected disability. Their labor force participation rate (75.8 percent) was
lower than the rate for veterans from the era who did not have a disability (88.7 per-
cent). Unemployment rates for Gulf War-era I veterans with and without service-connected
disabilities were not statistically different (8.8 and 6.8 percent, respectively).
Among the 1.2 million veterans with a service-connected disability from World War II,
the Korean War, and the Vietnam era, 26.2 percent were in the labor force in July 2010,
compared with 36.5 percent of veterans from these periods who did not have a service-
connected disability. The unemployment rate of veterans with a disability from these
wartime periods was 10.1 percent, little different than veterans with no disability
(8.6 percent).
Veterans with a service-connected disability from other service periods had a labor
force participation rate of 53.5 percent, compared with 60.4 percent for veterans with
no disability from these periods. The unemployment rate of veterans with a disability
from other service periods was 5.1 percent, not statistically different from the veter-
ans with no disability--8.1 percent.
Regardless of period of service, many veterans with a service-connected disability worked
in the public sector. In July 2010, 35 percent of employed veterans with a disability
worked in federal, state, or local government, compared with 21 percent of veterans with
no disability and 14 percent of nonveterans. About 20 percent of employed veterans with a
disability worked for the federal government, compared with 7 percent of veterans with
no disability and 2 percent of nonveterans. (See table 7.)
Reserve and National Guard Membership
A smaller proportion of Gulf War-era I veterans (27 percent) were reported to be cur-
rent or past members of the Reserve or National Guard than Gulf War era-II veterans
(32 percent). Among Gulf War-era II veterans, those who were current or past members
of the Reserve or National Guard had an unemployment rate of 14.0 percent in July 2010,
compared with 12.1 percent for those who had never been members. Labor force participa-
tion rates did not differ significantly by Reserve or National Guard membership for
Gulf War-era II veterans. For veterans of Gulf War era I, labor force participation
rates as well as unemployment rates were similar for Reserve or National Guard members
and non-members. (See table 8.)

Technical Note
The data in this release were collected through the Current Population Sur-
vey (CPS). The CPS--a monthly survey of about 60,000 households conducted by
the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics--obtains information
on employment and unemployment among the nation's civilian noninstitutional
population age 16 and over.
Most of the data in this release are annual averages for 2010, compiled from
the results of the monthly survey. Some of the data, such as those related to
service-connected disability and Reserve or National Guard status, are from
special questions asked as part of the latest veterans supplement to the CPS,
which was conducted in July 2010. The supplement was co-sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs and by the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans'
Employment and Training Service. Questions were asked of persons 17 years of
age and older regarding their prior service in the U.S. Armed Forces. Data are
tabulated for persons 18 years of age and older.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay
Service: (800) 877-8339.
Definitions
The definitions underlying the data in this release are as follows:
Veterans are men and women who previously served on active duty in the U.S.
Armed Forces. Members of the Reserve and National Guard are counted as veterans
if they had ever been called to active duty. Persons who are on active duty at
the time of the survey are outside the scope of the survey and thus not in the
estimates shown here, as are persons who reside in institutions, such as nursing
homes and prisons.
Nonveterans are men and women who never served on active duty in the U.S.
Armed Forces.
World War II, Korean War, Vietnam-era, and Gulf War-era veterans are men and
women who served in the Armed Forces during these periods, regardless of where
they served. Veterans who served in more than one wartime period are classified
in the most recent one.
Veterans of other service periods are men and women who served in the Armed
Forces at any time other than World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam era, or
the Gulf War era. Although U.S. Armed Forces were engaged in several armed con-
flicts during other service periods, these conflicts were more limited in scope
and included a smaller proportion of the Armed Forces than the selected wartime
periods. Veterans who served during one of the selected wartime periods and
during another period are classified in the wartime period.
Veteran status is obtained from responses to the question, "Did you ever serve
on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces?"
Period of service is obtained from answers to the question asked of veterans,
"When did you serve on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces?"
The following service periods are identified:
Gulf War era II -- September 2001-present
Gulf War era I -- August 1990-August 2001
Vietnam era -- August 1964-April 1975
Korean War -- July 1950-January 1955
World War II -- December 1941-December 1946
Other service periods -- All other time periods
Period-of-service definitions are modified occasionally to reflect changes in
law, regulations, and program needs of the survey sponsors.
Veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both are individuals who served in
Iraq at any time since March 2003, in Afghanistan at any time since October 2001,
or in both locations. Service in Iraq or Afghanistan is determined by answers to
two questions, "Did you serve in Iraq, off the coast of Iraq, or did you fly mis-
sions over Iraq at anytime since March 2003?" and Did you serve in Afghanistan, or
did you fly missions over Afghanistan, at anytime since October 2001?"
Presence of service-connected disability is determined by answers to the ques-
tion,"Has the Department of Veterans Affairs (or Department of Defense (DoD) deter-
mined that you have a service-connected disability, that is, a health condition or
impairment caused or made worse by any of your military service?"
Service-connected disability rating is based on answers to the question, "What
is your current service-connected disability rating?" Answers can range from 0 to
100 percent, in increments of 10 percentage points. Ratings are determined by the
VA or DoD from a rating schedule published in the Code of Federal Regulations,
Title 38, "Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief," Part 4--"Schedule for Rating
Disabilities." The rating schedule is "primarily a guide in the evaluation of dis-
ability resulting from all types of diseases and injuries encountered as a result
of or incident to military service. The percentage ratings represent as far as can
practicably be determined the average impairment in earning capacity resulting from
such diseases and injuries and their residual conditions in civil occupations."
Part 4 contains a listing of hundreds of possible disorders and assigns ratings of
0 through 100 percent, with instructions for rating multiple disorders.
Reserve or National Guard status is obtained from answers to two questions. Gulf
War-era veterans were asked: "Was any of your active service the result of a call-up
from the Reserve or National Guard?" If the answer was no, they were asked, "Have you
ever been a member of the Reserve or National Guard?" A 'yes' response to either ques-
tion classified persons as "Current or past member of the Reserve or National Guard."
A 'no' response to the latter question classified persons as "Never a member of the
Reserve or National Guard." These questions were asked only of Gulf War-era veterans.
Reliability of the estimates
Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error.
When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed, there is a chance that
the sample estimates will differ from the "true" population values they represent.
The exact difference, or sampling error, varies depending on the particular sample
selected, and this variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate.
There is about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on
a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true" population
value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally conducted at the 90-per-
cent level of confidence
The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling error can occur
for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of the population, the
inability to obtain information for all respondents in the sample, the inability or
unwillingness of respondents to provide correct information, and errors made in the
collection or processing of the data
For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and information on
estimating standard errors, see the explanatory note for the household survey avail-
able online at www.bls.gov/cps/eetech_methods.pdf.

Table 8. Employment status of Gulf War era veterans by Reserve or National Guard status, July 2010, not seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
Civilian labor force
Civilian Employed Unemployed Not in
Period of service and noninsti- labor
Reserve or National Guard status tutional Percent force
population Total of Percent Percent
population Total of Total of
population labor
force
VETERANS
Gulf War era, total
Total............................................... 5,058 4,298 85.0 3,902 77.2 396 9.2 760
Current or past member of Reserve or National Guard... 1,471 1,250 85.0 1,126 76.6 123 9.9 221
Never a member of Reserve or National Guard .......... 2,675 2,283 85.3 2,067 77.3 216 9.5 392
Reserve or National Guard membership not reported..... 912 766 83.9 709 77.8 56 7.3 147
Gulf War era I
Total............................................... 2,897 2,473 85.4 2,293 79.2 180 7.3 423
Current or past member of Reserve or National Guard... 772 653 84.5 613 79.4 40 6.1 119
Never a member of Reserve or National Guard .......... 1,619 1,399 86.4 1,290 79.7 109 7.8 220
Reserve or National Guard membership not reported..... 507 422 83.3 391 77.1 32 7.5 84
Gulf War era II
Total............................................... 2,161 1,824 84.4 1,609 74.5 215 11.8 336
Current or past member of Reserve or National Guard... 699 597 85.4 513 73.4 84 14.0 102
Never a member of Reserve or National Guard .......... 1,056 884 83.7 777 73.6 107 12.1 172
Reserve or National Guard membership not reported..... 406 343 84.7 319 78.6 25 7.2 62
NOTE: Veterans are men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam era, the Gulf War
era, and all other service periods. The Gulf War era began in August 1990 and continues to the present day. More detailed information
appears in the Technical Note of this release.

Table 9. Employment status of Gulf War-era II veterans 18 years and over by location of service, July 2010, not seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
Civilian labor force
Civilian Employed Unemployed Not in
Period of service and location noninsti- labor
tutional Percent force
population Total of Percent Percent
population Total of Total of
population labor
force
Gulf War era II
Total........................................... 2,161 1,824 84.4 1,609 74.5 215 11.8 336
Served in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both (1).......... 734 595 81.1 510 69.5 85 14.3 139
Served elsewhere.................................. 1,062 927 87.2 821 77.3 106 11.4 136
Location of service not reported.................. 364 302 82.9 278 76.2 25 8.2 62
1 Refers to veterans who served in Iraq at anytime since March 2003 and veterans who served in Afghanistan at anytime since October
2001. Also includes veterans who served in both countries.
NOTE: Gulf War-era II veterans served anywhere in the world at anytime since September 2001.